Could it be Me?
by cowgirlangel95
Summary: Valentine's Day has come once again. Usually it doesn't bother Riley that she's single, but for some reason, it's bothering her this year. She allows her mind to drift and wonders if she could be the reason behind Lucas' smile. Riley is about to dismiss the idea when an unexpected gift appears on her window seat from an unknown person


_**A/N: Happy St. Valentine's Day lovelies! Even though today is usually celebrated with showing affection towards our boyfriend or girlfriend, I wrote this story to thank you all for all of your support. If it wasn't for your support, many of my fics would cease to exist. I love you all! Now for the story; I hope you enjoy it! **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Girl Meets World.**_

Riley closed her bedroom door and slid down to the ground. She knew this time of year was always focusing on couples and what not, and usually that didn't bother her. For some reason, this year it did. Everywhere she looked, it seemed like someone else was paired off. She wished she had someone to share this time with, and not just for that day. Most of the time when Valentine's Day rolled around, people would pair off for about a week and then would break up. Riley shook her head as she allowed her bag to slip from her arm. She didn't understand why people would do that. Personally, she felt that having a significant other shouldn't last the week surrounding Valentine's Day. Two people should come together like that when they genuinely care for each other.

She slowly got up and turned on her lap top, and then brought up one of her Pandora stations. As it loaded, Riley looked at herself in the mirror. She knew she was still pretty young yet, but often wondered if anyone that she currently knew could care about her in that way.

Over the years, Riley's feelings towards Lucas grew stronger… beyond the simple schoolgirl crush, but she highly doubted that he would ever have any feelings for her. They were from two different worlds in a way. All she knew was the city, and he grew up in wide open spaces.

Often times Riley would talk to Maya about her feelings towards Lucas, and if anything would ever happen between them. It took everything Maya had not to laugh, saying that it was obvious that her best friend and Lucas had feelings for each other. Riley would hear Maya's arguments, but would brush them away in her mind. She didn't want to think she was imagining the whole thing… which there was a good chance she was.

Riley didn't know how long she was lost in thought, but she found herself starting to pay attention to the music playing when the gentle notes of an acoustic guitar came from her computer speakers. She raised an eyebrow, knowing she had never heard this tune before, but she enjoyed the peaceful notes as the guitar played. After a couple of more bars, the soft notes of a piano joined it, followed by a fiddle and a strong male voice starting to sing:

_*Guy: When I see your sparkling eyes  
My day is a thousand times better  
Even with dark and gray skies  
I can't help but smile.  
Often times I wonder  
What puts the sparkle in those eyes.  
Even in the slightest chance  
Could it be me?_

_Both: Could it be me?  
The one you care for  
The one you look for  
The one you love.  
What is the reason  
Behind your happiness?  
Are these feelings I have  
Just one sided?  
Or could it be me?_

_Girl: When I see your smile  
I'm suddenly out of breath.  
It's like you know  
What it does to me.  
That smile doesn't show itself often,  
So I ponder  
What's the reason for that smile  
Even in the slightest chance  
Could it be me?_

_Both: Could it be me?  
The one you care for  
The one you look for  
The one you love.  
What is the reason  
Behind your happiness?  
Are these feelings I have  
Just one sided?  
Or could it be me?_

_Girl: You're as quiet as I am  
When it comes to this  
Guy: You don't tell anyone  
What's behind those eyes  
Both: What I really wanna say  
Is that I'm a different person  
When I'm around you.  
Guy: But I'm too scared  
Girl: To say how I really feel.  
Both: So I just sit here and wonder  
Guy: What makes you spark like that  
Girl: What makes you smile like that  
Both: Could it be me?*_

Riley felt her heart drop as she rushed over to the computer screen to look at the song title before the next song played. The title was _Could it be Me?_

She sighed as she quickly jotted the title on a post it note. The lyrics echoed throughout her mind, making her think of Lucas. How the song fit her thoughts towards him. She liked him… she really, really liked him. Riley did notice that his smile was different around her.

_But how can I tell that when I've never seen him smile when he's _not_ around me? Is it really different? Could I be the reason behind that smile? Or am I just being silly…_

Riley typed the song's title into the YouTube search bar and played it again. As the beginning notes of the guitar started to play, Riley fell onto her bed and sighed. She felt that this song fit her situation, if you wanted to call it that, a little too well – even more so if it wasn't a duet.

A cold breeze flowed through her bedroom, making Riley shift her focus to the bay window as she curled herself into a ball. One of the window panes had been opened. The only reason why she knew this was because some of the frost had been pushed up and a single red rose, that hadn't been there a moment ago, was sitting on the window seat.

Riley raised an eyebrow as she slowly brought herself into a sitting position. She walked over to where the rose was lying, and she noticed a small envelope that was tucked underneath it. Riley picked it up and read what the card said.

_Please be in Central Park at the wrought iron bench by the woods in an hour.  
~Your Secret Admirer_

Riley's breathing hitched as she read it. _I have a secret admirer?_ she thought. _Who could it be? Sure, Farkle was an admirer, but he made his feelings very well known._

She looked out her window to see if there was any trace of who left the rose and the note, but there wasn't. The little snow that was there earlier in the day had long since melted thanks to the golden rays of the afternoon sun. Riley looked back down at the note as she delicately held the rose between her fingers. There was no way to tell who it was by what was written; the note had been typed.

_Very clever,_ she thought as she brought the flower to her nose and smelled its scent.

Riley looked at her clock and sighed. Only five minutes had passed since she had found the gift. Doing some quick calculations in her head, Riley realized she had about another forty five minutes until she needed to leave, since it takes her about ten minutes to get to the park from the apartment.

She didn't have any thoughts of what to do to fill that time, so she placed _Could it be Me? _on repeat, curled up in a ball, and lost herself in the music.

OoOoO

Riley carefully walked down the icy sidewalk, trying not to slip as she weaved around people. The bitter wind whipped right through her small frame, stinging her lungs as she breathed. She clenched her teeth as she continued to walk towards the park. Usually she would wrap her arms around herself to help keep herself warm, but she knew that would crush the rose she had received which was underneath her pea coat.

After a few more minutes, Riley released a breath of relief as she saw the park coming closer to her. She quickened her pace and headed towards the bench the note told her to go to. However, when it came into sight, Riley felt her heart drop. She didn't see _anyone_ near the bench, but she kept walking closer to it.

_Maybe he's late,_ Riley pondered, but the thought left her mind when she stopped at the bench and saw yet another red rose sitting on top of the black iron. This one was fake, but the silver specks that were imbedded into the cloth petals sparkled in the sunlight. Like the first rose, there was another small envelope tucked underneath it. Riley picked up both the rose and the envelope, opened it, and read what was inside.

_I am by the fountain._

Riley looked up by the fountain that stood a few dozen yards away and let out a frustrated sigh. Like where she was standing now, she didn't see anyone by the fountain. For a moment, Riley considered heading back home. If this was some sort of game, she didn't want to be humiliated by whoever thought it would be fun to pull this type of prank. But as her eyes focused on the fountain, she saw something rather unusual. There was a red speck sitting on its ledge. _Well, I might as well see what it's about… seeing how I'm already here._

She tucked the note into her pocket and headed over to the frozen area. Once she was there, Riley saw that the red speck was a heart shaped jewelry box that had a note on top with her name scripted in beautiful calligraphy. With trembling hands, Riley removed the note and picked up the box. When she opened it, she gasped at what she saw. Inside of it sat a silver ring, studded with blue and white colored gems. She had seen this ring in a jewelry store window a few weeks ago, and she had loved it the moment she set her eyes on it. But she was alone when she saw it, so who could have known?

The sound of snow crunching underneath someone's feet reached her ears. For whatever reason it was, Riley was too scared to turn around to see who it was, and she didn't dare to try until the footsteps ceased. When she finally did turn around, she was greeted by sparkling emerald eyes.

"Hey Riley," Lucas greeted softly. "I see you got my notes."

Riley opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. All she could do was stare at him with her mouth still hanging open.

After a few moments, Riley finally found her voice. "How did you know I wanted this ring?"

"I saw you in front of the jewelry store the other day. You were looking at something in the window, then shifted your focus down at your finger, and then left. I walked by and saw that was the only ring in the window, so I took an educated guess," he explained. Lucas took ahold of her hand. "Riley, I realized that we connected the first time we met, but at that point, I wasn't ready for a relationship. I wanted to wait until we were a bit older so I could understand what I was feeling a bit better. At that moment a few years ago, I wasn't sure if what I felt was genuine or just some crush. But now I know, those feelings are real. Would you give me the honor of becoming my girlfriend? I don't know if I am worthy of your love, but would you be willing to let me try?"

Riley's eyes slowly filled with tears. She couldn't believe what was happening. Riley closed her eyes. "Am I dreaming?" she whispered.

She heard a soft chuckle come from him. "No, you're not. We're both here right now."

Riley opened her eyes and the tears that had formed slowly began to fall down her cheeks. Again, she wasn't able to speak, so she simply nodded as a huge grin spread across her face.

Lucas returned the smile as he gently brushed away her tears with his fingers. He plucked the ring from its box, placed it around Riley's finger, and then brought the back of her palm to his lips for a gentle kiss.

It took all of Riley's strength to keep her knees from buckling. Part of her still couldn't believe that this was happening. She didn't know if Lucas knew or not, but he let go of her hand, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and began to lead her out of the park.

"How does a candlelit dinner sound to you?" he asked.

Another smile came over Riley's lips. "Lovely… but I should let my parents know. I only told them I was heading to the park."

"Don't worry about it. They already know," Lucas replied.

Riley sighed happily as they continued on. She should have known that Lucas would ask her parents, but it didn't come across her mind. Probably from all the emotions she was experiencing at the moment.

"Then lead the way."

_**~ lyrics enclosed in **: original song written by me, based on Rucas and my past experiences. Please do not use these lyrics without my permission! On the VERY slim chance I ever pursue my crazy dream of singing, I would like to use them.**_

_**Special Note: keep your eyes open for a special project I've been working on that should be coming sometime in the near future :) **_


End file.
